(ו) יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן פְּרַחְיָה וְנִתַּאי הָאַרְבֵּלִי קִבְּלוּ מֵהֶם. יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן פְּרַחְיָה אוֹמֵר, עֲשֵׂה לְךָ רַב, וּקְנֵה לְךָ חָבֵר, וֶהֱוֵי דָן אֶת כָּל הָאָדָם לְכַף זְכוּת:
(6) Joshua ben Perahiah and Nittai the Arbelite received [the oral tradition] from them. Joshua ben Perahiah used to say: appoint for thyself a teacher, and acquire for thyself a companion and judge all men with the scale weighted in his favor.
וְע֣וֹד מְ֭עַט וְאֵ֣ין רָשָׁ֑ע וְהִתְבּוֹנַ֖נְתָּ עַל־מְקוֹמ֣וֹ וְאֵינֶֽנּוּ׃
A little longer and there will be no wicked man; you will look at where he was— he will be gone.
דַּע, כִּי צָרִיךְ לָדוּן אֶת כָּל אָדָם לְכַף זְכוּת, וַאֲפִלּוּ מִי שֶׁהוּא רָשָׁע גָּמוּר, צָרִיךְ לְחַפֵּשׂ וְלִמְצֹא בּוֹ אֵיזֶה מְעַט טוֹב, שֶׁבְּאוֹתוֹ הַמְּעַט אֵינוֹ רָשָׁע, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה שֶׁמּוֹצֵא בּוֹ מְעַט טוֹב, וְדָן אוֹתוֹ לְכַף זְכוּת, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה מַעֲלֶה אוֹתוֹ בֶּאֱמֶת לְכַף זְכוּת, וְיוּכַל לַהֲשִׁיבוֹ בִּתְשׁוּבָה. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (תהלים לז): וְעוֹד מְעַט וְאֵין רָשָׁע וְהִתְבּוֹנַנְתָּ עַל מְקוֹמוֹ וְאֵינֶנּוּ; הַיְנוּ שֶׁהַפָּסוּק מַזְהִיר לָדוּן אֶת הַכֹּל לְכַף זְכוּת, וְאַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁאַתָּה רוֹאֶה שֶׁהוּא רָשָׁע גָּמוּר, אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן צָרִיךְ אַתָּה לְחַפֵּשׂ וּלְבַקֵּשׁ לִמְצֹא בּוֹ מְעַט טוֹב, שֶׁשָּׁם אֵינוֹ רָשָׁע. וְזֶהוּ: וְעוֹד מְעַט וְאֵין רָשָׁע – שֶׁצָּרִיךְ אַתָּה לְבַקֵּשׁ בּוֹ עוֹד מְעַט טוֹב, שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ עֲדַיִן, שֶׁשָּׁם אֵינוֹ רָשָׁע, כִּי אַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁהוּא רָשָׁע, אֵיךְ אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ מְעַט טוֹב עֲדַיִן, כִּי אֵיךְ אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁלֹּא עָשָׂה אֵיזֶה מִצְוָה אוֹ דָּבָר טוֹב מִיָּמָיו, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה שֶׁאַתָּה מוֹצֵא בּוֹ עוֹד מְעַט טוֹב, שֶׁשָּׁם אֵינוֹ רָשָׁע, וְאַתָּה דָּן אוֹתוֹ לְכַף זְכוּת, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה אַתָּה מַעֲלֶה אוֹתוֹ בֶּאֱמֶת מִכַּף חוֹבָה לְכַף זְכוּת, עַד שֶׁיָּשׁוּב בִּתְשׁוּבָה עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה. וְזֶהוּ: וְעוֹד מְעַט וְאֵין רָשָׁע – עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁמּוֹצֵא בְּהָרָשָׁע עוֹד מְעַט טוֹב, שֶׁשָּׁם אֵינוֹ רָשָׁע, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה: וְהִתְבּוֹנַנְתָּ עַל מְקוֹמוֹ וְאֵינֶנּוּ – הַיְנוּ כְּשֶׁתִּתְבּוֹנֵן וְתִסְתַּכֵּל עַל מְקוֹמוֹ וּמַדְרֵגָתוֹ, וְאֵינֶנּוּ שָׁם עַל מְקוֹמוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁמּוֹצְאִין בּוֹ עוֹד מְעַט טוֹב, אֵיזֶה נְקֻדָּה טוֹבָה, וְדָנִין אוֹתוֹ לְכַף זְכוּת, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה מוֹצִיאִין אוֹתוֹ בֶּאֱמֶת מִכַּף חוֹבָה לְכַף זְכוּת. וְזֶהוּ: וְהִתְבּוֹנַנְתָּ עַל מְקוֹמוֹ וְאֵינֶנּוּ כַּנַּ"ל, וְהָבֵן:
Know, that it is necessary to judge every person as meritorious. Even if someone is entirely wicked, it is necessary to search and find in him some bit of good, that in that bit he is not wicked, and by means of this, that you find in him a bit of good, and judge him as meritorious, by means of this you raise him in truth to the side of merit, and you can return him in repentance. This is "a little bit and there is no wicked, you will contemplate on his place and he isn't there" (Psalms 37:10), that is, the verse warns to judge everyone as meritorious, and even though you see the he is completely wicked, even so, you must search and quest to find in him a bit of good where he isn't wicked. This is "a little bit and there is no wicked" - you have to search out in him a bit of good that is still there, where he is not wicked, because even though he is wicked, how is it possible that there isn't still a bit of good, because how is possible that he didn't do a mitzvah or a good thing his whole life? By means of this that you find in him a bit of good where he is not wicked, and you judge him as meritorious, by means of this you raise him in truth from the side of liability to the side of merit, until he returns in repentance by means of his. This is "a little bit and there is no wicked", by means of finding in the wicked a bit of good, where he isn't wicked "you will contemplate on his place and he isn't there", meaning when you contemplate and look at his place and level, he isn't there, in his original place, because by means of finding in him a bit of good, a good point, and judging him as meritorious, by means of this you truly take him from the side of liability to the side of merit. This is "you will contemplate on his place and he isn't there". Understand this well. [...]
הנהו בריוני דהוו בשבבותיה דרבי מאיר והוו קא מצערו ליה טובא הוה קא בעי רבי מאיר רחמי עלויהו כי היכי דלימותו אמרה ליה ברוריא דביתהו מאי דעתך משום דכתיב יתמו חטאים מי כתיב חוטאים חטאים כתיב
With regard to the statement of Rabbi Yehuda, son of Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi, that David did not say Halleluya until he saw the downfall of the wicked, the Gemara relates: There were these hooligans in Rabbi Meir’s neighborhood who caused him a great deal of anguish. Rabbi Meir prayed for God to have mercy on them, that they should die. Rabbi Meir’s wife, Berurya, said to him: What is your thinking? On what basis do you pray for the death of these hooligans? Do you base yourself on the verse, as it is written: “Let sins cease from the land” (Psalms 104:35), which you interpret to mean that the world would be better if the wicked were destroyed? But is it written, let sinners cease?” Let sins cease, is written. One should pray for an end to their transgressions, not for the demise of the transgressors themselves.
[וְהִזְהִיר רַבֵּנוּ זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה מְאֹד, לֵילֵךְ עִם הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת, כִּי הוּא יְסוֹד גָּדוֹל לְכָל מִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לְהִתְקָרֵב לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וּלְבַל יֹאבַד עוֹלָמוֹ לְגַמְרֵי חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, כִּי רֹב בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁרְחוֹקִים מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, עִקַּר רִחוּקָם הוּא מֵחֲמַת מָרָה שְׁחוֹרָה וְעַצְבוּת, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁנּוֹפְלִים בְּדַעְתָּם, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁרוֹאִים בְּעַצְמָם גֹּדֶל קִלְקוּלָם שֶׁקִּלְקְלוּ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם, כָּל אֶחָד כְּפִי מַה שֶּׁיּוֹדֵעַ בְּעַצְמוֹ אֶת נִגְעֵי לְבָבוֹ וּמַכְאוֹבָיו, וּמֵחֲמַת זֶה הֵם נוֹפְלִים בְּדַעְתָּם, וְרֻבָּן מְיָאֲשִׁים עַצְמָן לְגַמְרֵי, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה אֵינָם מִתְפַּלְּלִים בְּכַוָּנָה כְּלָל, וְאֵינָם עוֹשִׂים אֲפִלּוּ מַה שֶּׁהָיוּ יְכוֹלִים לַעֲשׂוֹת עֲדַיִן. עַל כֵּן צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם לְהַשְׂכִּיל מְאֹד עַל דָּבָר זֶה, כִּי כָּל הַנְּפִילוֹת שֶׁבְּדַעְתּוֹ, אַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁהוּא מֵחֲמַת מַעֲשִׂים רָעִים שֶׁעָשָׂה בֶּאֱמֶת, עִם כָּל זֶה, הַנְּפִילָה שֶׁבְּדַעְתּוֹ, וְהָעַצְבוּת וְהַמָּרָה שְׁחוֹרָה שֶׁנּוֹפֵל עָלָיו עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה, הַכֹּל הוּא רַק מַעֲשֵׂי בַּעַל דָּבָר, שֶׁמַּחֲלִישׁ דַּעְתּוֹ כְּדֵי לְהַפִּילוֹ לְגַמְרֵי, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם. עַל־כֵּן צְרִיכִין לְהִתְחַזֵּק מְאֹד, לֵילֵךְ עִם הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת, לְחַפֵּשׂ וּלְבַקֵּשׁ בְּעַצְמוֹ בְּכָל פַּעַם אֵיזֶה מְעַט טוֹב וּנְקֻדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל. וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה יְחַיֶּה וִישַׂמַּח אֶת עַצְמוֹ, וִיצַפֶּה לִישׁוּעָה עֲדַיִן, וְיוּכַל לְהִתְפַּלֵּל וּלְזַמֵּר וּלְהוֹדוֹת לַיהוה, בִּבְחִינַת: אֲזַמְּרָה לֵאלֹהַי בְּעוֹדִי כַּנַּ"ל, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה יִזְכֶּה לָשׁוּב בֶּאֱמֶת אֶל יהוה כַּנַּ"ל]:
וְכֵן צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם לִמְצֹא גַּם בְּעַצְמוֹ. כִּי זֶה יָדוּעַ, שֶׁצָּרִיךְ הָאָדָם לִזָּהֵר מְאֹד לִהְיוֹת בְּשִׂמְחָה תָּמִיד, וּלְהַרְחִיק הָעַצְבוּת מְאֹד מְאֹד (כַּמְבֹאָר אֶצְלֵנוּ כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים), וַאֲפִלּוּ כְּשֶׁמַּתְחִיל לְהִסְתַּכֵּל בְּעַצְמוֹ וְרוֹאֶה שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ שׁוּם טוֹב, וְהוּא מָלֵא חֲטָאִים, וְרוֹצֶה הַבַּעַל דָּבָר לְהַפִּילוֹ עַל יְדֵי זֶה בְּעַצְבוּת וּמָרָה שְׁחוֹרָה, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן אָסוּר לוֹ לִפֹּל מִזֶּה, רַק צָרִיךְ לְחַפֵּשׂ וְלִמְצֹא בְּעַצְמוֹ אֵיזֶה מְעַט טוֹב, כִּי אֵיךְ אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁלֹּא עָשָׂה מִיָּמָיו אֵיזֶה מִצְוָה אוֹ דָּבָר טוֹב, וְאַף שֶׁכְּשֶׁמַּתְחִיל לְהִסְתַּכֵּל בְּאוֹתוֹ הַדָּבָר הַטּוֹב, הוּא רוֹאֶה שֶׁהוּא גַּם כֵּן מָלֵא פְּצָעִים וְאֵין בּוֹ מְתֹם, הַיְנוּ שֶׁרוֹאֶה שֶׁגַּם הַמִּצְוָה וְהַדָּבָר שֶׁבִּקְדֻשָּׁה שֶׁזָּכָה לַעֲשׂוֹת, הוּא גַּם כֵּן מָלֵא פְּנִיּוֹת וּמַחֲשָׁבוֹת זָרוֹת וּפְגָמִים הַרְבֵּה, עִם כָּל זֶה אֵיךְ אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה בְּאוֹתָהּ הַמִּצְוָה וְהַדָּבָר שֶׁבִּקְדֻשָּׁה אֵיזֶה מְעַט טוֹב, כִּי עַל כָּל פָּנִים אֵיךְ שֶׁהוּא, עַל־כָּל־פָּנִים הָיָה אֵיזֶה נְקֻדָּה טוֹבָה בְּהַמִּצְוָה וְהַדָּבָר טוֹב שֶׁעָשָׂה, כִּי צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם לְחַפֵּשׂ וּלְבַקֵּשׁ לִמְצֹא בְּעַצְמוֹ אֵיזֶה מְעַט טוֹב, כְּדֵי לְהַחֲיוֹת אֶת עַצְמוֹ, וְלָבוֹא לִידֵי שִׂמְחָה כַּנַּ"ל, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה שֶׁמְּחַפֵּשׂ וּמוֹצֵא בְּעַצְמוֹ עֲדַיִן מְעַט טוֹב, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה הוּא יוֹצֵא בֶּאֱמֶת מִכַּף חוֹבָה לְכַף זְכוּת, וְיוּכַל לָשׁוּב בִּתְשׁוּבָה, בִּבְחִינוֹת: וְעוֹד מְעַט וְאֵין רָשָׁע וְהִתְבּוֹנַנְתָּ עַל מְקוֹמוֹ וְאֵינֶנּוּ, כַּנַּ"ל. הַיְנוּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לָדוּן אֲחֵרִים לְכַף זְכוּת, אֲפִלּוּ אֶת הָרְשָׁעִים, וְלִמְצֹא בָּהֶם אֵיזֶה נְקֻדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה מוֹצִיאִין אוֹתָם בֶּאֱמֶת מִכַּף חוֹבָה לְכַף זְכוּת, בִּבְחִינַת: וְעוֹד מְעַט וְכוּ' וְהִתְבּוֹנַנְתָּ וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל, כְּמוֹ כֵן הוּא אֵצֶל הָאָדָם בְּעַצְמוֹ, שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לָדוּן אֶת עַצְמוֹ לְכַף זְכוּת, וְלִמְצֹא בְּעַצְמוֹ אֵיזֶה נְקֻדָּה טוֹבָה עֲדַיִן, כְּדֵי לְחַזֵּק אֶת עַצְמוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יִפֹּל לְגַמְרֵי, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, רַק אַדְּרַבָּא יְחַיֶּה אֶת עַצְמוֹ, וִישַׂמַּח אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ בִּמְעַט הַטּוֹב שֶׁמּוֹצֵא בְּעַצְמוֹ, דְּהַיְנוּ מַה שֶּׁזָּכָה לַעֲשׂוֹת מִיָּמָיו אֵיזֶה מִצְוָה אוֹ אֵיזֶה דָּבָר טוֹב, וּכְמוֹ כֵן צָרִיךְ לְחַפֵּשׂ עוֹד, לִמְצֹא בְּעַצְמוֹ עוֹד אֵיזֶה דָּבָר טוֹב, וְאַף שֶׁגַּם אוֹתוֹ הַדָּבָר הַטּוֹב הוּא גַּם־כֵּן מְעֹרָב בִּפְסֹלֶת הַרְבֵּה, עִם כָּל זֶה יוֹצִיא מִשָּׁם גַּם־כֵּן אֵיזֶה נְקֻדָּה טוֹבָה. וְכֵן יְחַפֵּשׂ וִילַקֵּט עוֹד הַנְּקֻדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נַעֲשִׂין נִגּוּנִים, כַּמְבֹאָר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (במאמר ויהי מקץ בסי' נ"ד), בְּחִינַת מְנַגֵּן בִּכְלֵי זֶמֶר, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת שֶׁמְּלַקֵּט הָרוּחַ טוֹבָה מִן הָרוּחַ נְכֵאָה עַצְבוּת רוּחַ, עַיֵּן שָׁם. [וְהַכְּלָל, כִּי נְגִינָה דִּקְדֻשָּׁה הִיא גָּבוֹהַּ מְאֹד מְאֹד כַּיָּדוּעַ, וְעִקַּר הַנִּגּוּן נַעֲשֶׂה עַל־יְדֵי בֵּרוּר הַטּוֹב מִן הָרַע, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי שֶׁמְּבָרְרִין וּמְלַקְּטִין הַנְּקֻדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת מִתּוֹךְ הָרַע, עַל־יְדֵי־ זֶה נַעֲשִׂים נִגּוּנִים וּזְמִירוֹת, עַיֵּן שָׁם הֵיטֵב]. וְעַל כֵּן עַל יְדֵי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַנִּיחַ לְהַפִּיל אֶת עַצְמוֹ וּמְחַיֶּה אֶת עַצְמוֹ בַּמֶּה שֶּׁמְּחַפֵּשׂ וּמְבַקֵּשׁ וּמוֹצֵא בְּעַצְמוֹ אֵיזֶה נְקֻדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת, וּמְלַקֵּט וּמְבָרֵר אֵלּוּ הַנְּקֻדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת מִתּוֹךְ הָרָע וְהַפְּסֹלֶת שֶׁבּוֹ וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נַעֲשִׂין נִגּוּנִים כַּנַּ"ל, וַאֲזַי הוּא יָכוֹל לְהִתְפַּלֵּל וּלְזַמֵּר וּלְהוֹדוֹת לַה'. כִּי זֶה יָדוּעַ שֶׁכְּשֶׁהָאָדָם נוֹפֵל בְּדַעְתּוֹ מֵחֲמַת גַּשְׁמִיּוּתוֹ וּמַעֲשָׂיו הָרָעִים, שֶׁרוֹאֶה שֶׁהוּא רָחוֹק מְאֹד מְאֹד מִן הַקְּדֻשָּׁה בֶּאֱמֶת, אֲזַי עַל־פִּי רֹב אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהִתְפַּלֵּל כְּלָל מֵחֲמַת זֶה, וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִפְתֹּחַ פִּיו כְּלָל, מֵחֲמַת גֹּדֶל הָעַצְבוּת וְהַמָּרָה שְׁחוֹרָה וְהַכְּבֵדוּת שֶׁנּוֹפֵל עָלָיו, עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁרוֹאֶה גֹּדֶל עֹצֶם רִחוּקוֹ מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ. אֲבָל כְּשֶׁהוּא מְחַיֶּה אֶת עַצְמוֹ עַל־פִּי הָעֵצָה הַנַּ"ל, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁאַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ בְּעַצְמוֹ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ מַעֲשִׂים רָעִים וַחֲטָאִים הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד, וְהוּא רָחוֹק מְאֹד מְאֹד מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן הוּא מְחַפֵּשׂ וּמְבַקֵּשׁ וּמוֹצֵא בְּעַצְמוֹ עֲדַיִן אֵיזֶה נְקֻדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת כַּנַּ"ל, וּמְחַיֶּה וּמְשַׂמֵּחַ אֶת עַצְמוֹ בָּזֶה, כִּי בְּוַדַּאי רָאוּי לְהָאָדָם לְהַגְדִּיל שִׂמְחָתוֹ מְאֹד בְּכָל נְקֻדָּה וּנְקֻדָּה טוֹבָה מִקְּדֻשַּׁת יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁמּוֹצֵא בְּעַצְמוֹ עֲדַיִן, וַאֲזַי כְּשֶׁמְּחַיֶּה וּמְשַׂמֵּחַ אֶת עַצְמוֹ עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה כַּנַּ"ל, אֲזַי הוּא יָכוֹל לְהִתְפַּלֵּל וּלְזַמֵּר וּלְהוֹדוֹת לַה':
Just so, one must find [a modicum of good] in himself as well. For it is well-known that one must take great care to be in a state of happiness at all times and to keep sadness very very distant (as we have explained several times). Even when one begins to scrutinize himself and sees that there is no goodness in him, and that he is full of sins, and the Plaintiff (lit. ba'al davar, one who has a claim; fig. the Evil One) desires to cause his downfall through sadness and depression (lit. black bile, melancholy), Heaven forfend, nevertheless it is forbidden for him to fall on this account. He must just seek to find in himself some modicum of good, for how is it possible that he did not perform in all his days some mitzvah or good deed? And even [if], when one begins to scrutinize that good deed, he sees that it is full of flaws and has no soundness, that is to say that one sees that even that mitzvah or holy deed that he merited to perform, it too is full of turnings and inappropriate intentions and many imperfections, nevertheless, how is it possible that there should not be in that mitzvah or holy deed some modicum of good? For, no matter how things are, there must have been some good point in the mitzvah or the good dead that he performed. For one must search out and seek to find in himself some modicum of good, in order to revive himself, and to attain joy, as mentioned above. By seeking to find in himself that there is still a modicum of good, he truly leaves the scale of guilt for the scale of merit, so that he is able to turn back in repentance. This is connected conceptually to the verse, "A little longer and there will be no wicked man; you will look at where he was— he will be gone," as mentioned above... Similarly, one must seek further, to find in himself another good deed. Even if that good deed likewise is mixed with much waste (פסולת), he will be able to extract from there likewise some good point. And thus one should seek to collect further good points (or "notes"/נקודות). In this way melodies are made, as explained in another place (Likutei Moharan 54), which is the concept of playing a musical instrument, which is related to collecting good breath (spirit, רוח) from the spirit of gloom and sadness, see there.... When one does not allow himself to fall, and revives himself by searching, seeking, and finding in himself some good points, and gathers and clarifies these good points from the bad and the waste that is in him, as stated above--in this way melodies are formed, and then he is able to pray, to sing, and to give thanks to God. For it is well-known that when one despairs on account of his physicality and evil deeds, seeing that he is really very, very far from holiness, then in most cases he is unable to pray at all, and is unable to open his mouth at all, due to the greatness of his sadness and melancholy and the heaviness that befalls him, since he sees the great force of his alienation (distancing, ריחוקו) from Hashem, may He be blessed...
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (תהילים קמ״ו:ב׳): אֲזַמְּרָה לֵאלֹקַי בְּעוֹדִי – בְּעוֹדִי דַּיְקָא, הַיְנוּ עַל יְדֵי בְּחִינַת הָעוֹד שֶׁלִּי, שֶׁאֲנִי מוֹצֵא בְּעַצְמִי בְּחִינַת: עוֹד מְעַט וְאֵין רָשָׁע כַּנַּ"ל, עַל יְדֵי אוֹתָהּ הַנְּקֻדָּה, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה אוּכַל לְזַמֵּר וּלְהוֹדוֹת לַה' כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶהוּ: אֲזַמְּרָה – אֲזַמְּרָה דַּיְקָא, הַיְנוּ זְמִירוֹת וְנִגּוּנִים שֶׁנַּעֲשִׂין עַל יְדֵי שֶׁמְּלַקֵּט הַנְּקֻדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת כַּנַּ"ל:
This is connected conceptually with the verse, "I will sing songs to my God while I exist (=בעודי, through my עוד/still)" (Psalms 146:2)--precisely through my "still" (עוד), that is, by means of the concept of my עוד/still, that I find in myself--related to "A little longer (עוד, 'still') and there will be no wicked man; you will look at where he was— he will be gone" (Psalms 37:10), as mentioned above. By means of this point/note (נקודה) [that is, the עוד/the modicum of goodness that persists], I will be able to sing and to give thanks to Hashem, as mentioned above. Thus, "I will sing"--it is precisely that I will sing, that is, songs and melodies that are made by means of collecting the good notes, as mentioned above.
לֹֽא־תִקֹּ֤ם וְלֹֽא־תִטֹּר֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י עַמֶּ֔ךָ וְאָֽהַבְתָּ֥ לְרֵעֲךָ֖ כָּמ֑וֹךָ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֽה׃
You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your countrymen. Love your fellow as yourself: I am the LORD.
Projection and Transference
In this system the distinct mechanism of projecting own unconscious or undesirable characteristics onto an opponent is called Freudian Projection.
· "A defence mechanism in which the individual attributes to other people impulses and traits that he himself has but cannot accept. It is especially likely to occur when the person lacks insight into his own impulses and traits."
· "Attributing one's own undesirable traits to other people or agencies, e.g., an aggressive man accuses other people of being hostile."
· Transference is the phenomenon whereby we unconsciously transfer feelings and attitudes from a person or situation in the past on to a person or situation in the present. The process is at least partly inappropriate to the present .
Pygmalion, Act 5, Line 143. George Bernard Shaw
"You see, really and truly, apart from the things anyone can pick up (the dressing and the proper way of speaking, and so on), the difference between a lady and a flower girl is not how she behaves, but how she's treated. I shall always be a flower girl to Professor Higgins, because he always treats me as a flower girl, and always will; but I know I can be a lady to you, because you always treat me as a lady, and always will “
Description of the Pygmalion Study. NPR September 17, 2012 (See R. Rosenthal and L. Jacobson, Pygmalion in the Classroom (New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1968 for further details).
The idea was to figure out what would happen if teachers were told that certain kids in their class were destined to succeed, so Rosenthal took a normal IQ test and dressed it up as a different test. "It was a standardized IQ test, Flanagan's Test of General Ability," he says. "But the cover we put on it, we had printed on every test booklet, said 'Harvard Test of Inflected Acquisition.' "
Rosenthal told the teachers that this very special test from Harvard had the very special ability to predict which kids were about to be very special — that is, which kids were about to experience a dramatic growth in their IQ.
After the kids took the test, he then chose from every class several children totally at random. There was nothing at all to distinguish these kids from the other kids, but he told their teachers that the test predicted the kids were on the verge of an intense intellectual bloom.
As he followed the children over the next two years, Rosenthal discovered that the teachers' expectations of these kids really did affect the students. "If teachers had been led to expect greater gains in IQ, then increasingly, those kids gained more IQ," he says.
The Progress of Education Reform. 2012 vol 13. No. 6
A growing body of research suggests that the expectations a teacher sets for an individual student can significantly affect the student’s performance. Teacher expectations can, for example, be based on student characteristics such as race, ethnicity, and family income level, or indicators of past performance. These expectations can cause teachers to differentiate their behavior towards individual students, such that teachers set lower expectations for some students, provide briefer (or no) feedback on student errors—and less positive feedback after correct answers—and grant students less time to answer questions. All of these teacher behaviors, when repeated day in, day out, over the course of a year or multiple school years, can negatively impact student performance and ultimately perpetuate the achievement gaps that plague the American education system. While varied expectations for students are rarely developed out of malice, teachers need to be aware of the consequences of different student expectations and understand how to correct them
Visible Learning and the Science of How We Learn. (2014). John Hattie and Gregory Yates. P.28
The notion that students are immediately sensitive to the emotional climate of teacher-student relationships is a well-established finding. In an Israeli study, high school students were shown brief 10 second films of teachers they had not met and were able to rate these teachers on how they would teach. These ratings correlated with what the teachers’ own genuine students had reported. In a French study, it was found the 7 year old students increased their scores on academic tests when administered under friendly and warm conditions. This effect did not hinge upon student ability level. In that study the emphasis was on the examiner deliberately using warm and inviting body language, direct eye contact, and deliberate use of friendly vocal intonation.
יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן פְּרַחְיָה וְנִתַּאי הָאַרְבֵּלִי קִבְּלוּ מֵהֶם. יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן פְּרַחְיָה אוֹמֵר, עֲשֵׂה לְךָ רַב, וּקְנֵה לְךָ חָבֵר, וֶהֱוֵי דָן אֶת כָּל הָאָדָם לְכַף זְכוּת:
Joshua ben Perahiah and Nittai the Arbelite received [the oral tradition] from them. Joshua ben Perahiah used to say: appoint for thyself a teacher, and acquire for thyself a companion and judge all men with the scale weighted in his favor.
[וְהִזְהִיר רַבֵּנוּ זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה מְאֹד, לֵילֵךְ עִם הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת, כִּי הוּא יְסוֹד גָּדוֹל לְכָל מִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לְהִתְקָרֵב לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וּלְבַל יֹאבַד עוֹלָמוֹ לְגַמְרֵי חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, כִּי רֹב בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁרְחוֹקִים מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, עִקַּר רִחוּקָם הוּא מֵחֲמַת מָרָה שְׁחוֹרָה וְעַצְבוּת, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁנּוֹפְלִים בְּדַעְתָּם, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁרוֹאִים בְּעַצְמָם גֹּדֶל קִלְקוּלָם שֶׁקִּלְקְלוּ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם, כָּל אֶחָד כְּפִי מַה שֶּׁיּוֹדֵעַ בְּעַצְמוֹ אֶת נִגְעֵי לְבָבוֹ וּמַכְאוֹבָיו, וּמֵחֲמַת זֶה הֵם נוֹפְלִים בְּדַעְתָּם, וְרֻבָּן מְיָאֲשִׁים עַצְמָן לְגַמְרֵי, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה אֵינָם מִתְפַּלְּלִים בְּכַוָּנָה כְּלָל, וְאֵינָם עוֹשִׂים אֲפִלּוּ מַה שֶּׁהָיוּ יְכוֹלִים לַעֲשׂוֹת עֲדַיִן.
{[Rebbe Nachman], of blessed memory, cautioned us to live by this teaching, for it is a major foundation for anyone who wishes to draw closer to God and not lose his eternal reward completely, God forbid. In most cases where people are far from God, the main reason for this is sadness and depression. They fall into depression because they see for themselves the great harm they have caused through their actions, each person commensurate with what he himself knows of his heart’s affliction and his anguish. Due to this they become depressed, and most of them despair [of] themselves completely. As a result they pray without any concentration, and do not even do what they are still capable of.